Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-13
By: Central News Agency

Chinese tourist applications saw a 15 percent-30 percent decrease in the two-week period from March 23 to April 5, a Tourism Bureau official said Tuesday.

During the two-week period, applications for tourists traveling in groups decreased by some 30 percent, while independent traveler applications decreased about 15 percent, said Lin Kun-yuan, a division chief of the bureau.

The daily quota set for Chinese tourists traveling in groups to Taiwan is 5,000, and the same number applies to independent travelers.

The figures mean that roughly 7,750 applications for the 10,000 daily quota were made during the two-week period, a 22.5 percent decrease.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/13
By: Sophia Yeh and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, April 13 (CNA) President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Wednesday on her Facebook page that establishing a comprehensive supply chain for Taiwanese businesses operating in Southeast Asia and India forms the cornerstone of her new southbound policy.

She said the policy is aimed at strengthening Taiwan’s economic and cultural ties with countries in the region and creating a link between overseas Taiwanese students and Taiwan’s new immigrants from the region.

Tsai, who will take office on May 20, said that Taiwan cannot afford to miss out on the opportunities presented in the vibrant Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region and South Asia, which are now the focus of world attention.

Tsai said her administration will raise the levels of governance responsible for decision making with regard to the policy. In addition to encouraging bilateral investment, the policy is also aimed at establishing cooperation ties with ASEAN and South Asian countries in the areas of talent cultivation, education, culture, tourism and agriculture to find a way out for Taiwan’s diplomacy and usher in a new era of economic development.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-04-12
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je came under fire at the Taipei City Council Tuesday for failing to fulfill promises and for reading Buddhist texts as his popularity sagged.

Ko was elected mayor by a landslide in November 2014, but recent opinion polls have shown his support from the public sagging to its lowest level so far.

After the presentation of his policy report to the city council Tuesday, the outspoken mayor was faulted for failing in his plans to subsidize healthy school lunches, resolve traffic jams, converting a market and other local issues.

In contrast to previous sessions, most of the criticism Tuesday came from the Democratic Progressive Party, the party which helped Ko win election.

The mayor barely reacted to the verbal attacks, reports said, as he consulted documents, talked with Vice Mayor Charles Lin who was seated next to him, or read a small booklet with yellow pages, which was interpreted as being a collection of Buddhist texts.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/12
By: Lee Ming-tsung and Elaine Hou

Taipei, April 12 (CNA) President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) called Tuesday

for China to start negotiations with Taiwan immediately to address the issue of Taiwanese nationals sent by Kenya to China in connection with phone fraud in the African country.

Tsai, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), also expressed the party’s serious condemnation and protest over the forced deportation of Taiwanese nationals to China by the Kenyan police.

She warned that the incident will deepen the negative image of China among the Taiwanese public, and called for Beijing to start negotiating with Taiwan immediately.

“The Beijing authorities do not have the right to deal with the deportation of Taiwanese nationals on behalf of our own government,” she said.

If Taiwanese nationals commit crime overseas, they should be sent back to their home country to face trial, Tsai said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: April 12, 2016

The inaugural Calculus World Cup concluded April 8 in Taipei City, with a

student team from National Taiwan University claiming the top honor and US$10,000.

Co-organized by the Taipei City-based university, CWC is the first student competition in the world combing e-sport and mathematics. More than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 45 countries and territories vied for cash prizes totaling NT$70,000 (US$2,164).

Among these, 36 players from Taiwan, Indonesia, Russia, Ukraine and mainland China were invited to compete, with those from NTU, Institut Teknologi Bandung from Indonesia and Xiamen University from mainland China making the final round.

Staged on the PaGamO online education platform, the competition tested contestants’ problem-solving skills and gaming strategies. It was broadcast on live video streaming platforms Livehouse and Twitch, and attracted more than half a million views.

Benson Yeh, an NTU professor of electrical engineering, said CWC builds on the success of PaGamO, the world’s first multiplayer social platform that allows students to learn class materials while gaming online.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 13, 2016
By: William Lowther / Staff reporter in Washington

The US Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the FBI are now

investigating allegations that a serving US naval officer has been spying for Taiwan and China.

A former US defense official has told the US Naval Institute (USNI) News that if Taiwan had indeed cultivated the spy as a source of classified information, “the revelation could damage the relationship between Taipei and Washington.”

Espionage charges against Taiwan-born US Navy Lieutenant Commander Edward Lin remain shrouded in secrecy, with officials refusing to reveal evidence.

It appears the case is extremely serious, involving state secrets relating to US national security.

Sources told Washington news organizations on Monday that Lin allegedly spied for both Taiwan and China.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/04/11
By: Lo Kuang-jen and S.C. Chang

Taipei, April 11 (CNA) The Central Weather Bureau on Monday issued a heavy rain, lightning and gust winds alert for Taichung, Changhua and Yunlin as well as offshore Penghu islands late Monday and early Tuesday.

The CWB also warned of sudden downpours or torrential rains for the mountainous areas of Pingtung and Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, affected by a stationary front across central and southern Taiwan.

There are chances of heavy rain in Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung, as well as the mountainous areas of Nantou, Hualien and Taitung, according to the CWB.      [SOURCE]